Either of these terms often conveys a sense of helplessness and vulnerability, but that need not be so. If you are reading this page, it is probably because you are a beginning teacher, or are planning to be one. In every single class I have taught to future teachers, their greatest fear concerns problems they envision that are connected to classroom management and relationships with parents. For many, these imagined problems can be overwhelming and often border on terror - not a good thing. While there is no shortage of advice in books and on the Internet about how to manage a classroom and deal effectively with parents, here are some of the best ideas I have gleaned in my career. They come from a variety of sources including my own personal experience as a teacher and parent. Make of them what you will. -- Classroom Management Quickies --
Mistakes New Teachers Often Make, So Don't New teachers often - Have not figured out what exactly they want and don't want - a root cause of much of what follows. Overpraisestudents for doing what is expected. Don't know the difference between praise and acknowledgement and when each is appropriate. Fail to do effective long-range and daily planning. Spend too much time with one student or one group and not monitoring the entire class. Begin a new activity before gaining the students' attention. Talk too fast, and are sometimes shrill. Use a voice level that is always either too loud or too soft. Stand too long in one place (the feet of clay syndrome). Sit too long while teaching (the posterior of clay syndrome). Overemphasize the negative. Do not require students to raise hands and be acknowledged before responding. Are way too serious and not much fun. Are way too much fun and not serious. Fall into a rut by using the same teaching strategy or combination of strategies day after day. Ineffectively use silence (wait time) after asking a content question. Are ineffective when they use facial expressions and body language. Tend to talk to and interact with only half the class (usually their favorites, and usually on the right).. Collect and return student papers before assigning students something to do. Interrupt students while they are on task. Use "SHHHH" as a means of quieting students (one of the most annoying and ineffective behaviors). Overuse verbal efforts to stop inappropriate student behavior - talk alone accomplishes little. Settle for less rather than demand more. Use threats to control the class (short term, produces results; long term, backfires). Use global praise inappropriately. Use color meaninglessly, even to the point of distraction (I know you've seen this happen). Verbally reprimand students across the classroom (get close and personal if possible). Interact with only a "chosen few" students rather than spreading interactions around to all students. Do not intervene quickly enough during inappropriate student behavior. Do not learn and use student names in an effective way (kids pick up quickly on this and respond in kind). Read student papers only for correct answers and not for process and student thinking. Ask global questions that nobody likely will answer. Fail to do appropriate comprehension checks to see if students understand the content as it is taught. Use poorly worded, ambiguous questions. Try to talk over student noise (never, ever, do this, because when you do, you lose and they win). Are consistently inconsistent. Will do anything to be liked by students. Permit students to be inattentive to an educationally useful media presentation (this happens a lot). Introduce too many topics simultaneously (usually the result of poor planning). Sound egocentric (if you have to get your jollies from your students, there might be a problem). Take too much time to give verbal directions for an activity (an inability to focus and explain effectively). Take too much time for an activity (usually the result of poor planning). Are nervous, uptight, and anxious (if this is persistent, you need help). Overuse punishment for classroom misbehavior - going to an extreme when other consequences work better.
Beginning teachers. New teachers.
Either of these terms often conveys a sense of helplessness and vulnerability, but that need not be so. If you are reading this page, it is probably because you are a beginning teacher, or are planning to be one. In every single class I have taught to future teachers, their greatest fear concerns problems they envision that are connected to classroom management and relationships with parents. For many, these imagined problems can be overwhelming and often border on terror - not a good thing. While there is no shortage of advice in books and on the Internet about how to manage a classroom and deal effectively with parents, here are some of the best ideas I have gleaned in my career. They come from a variety of sources including my own personal experience as a teacher and parent. Make of them what you will.-- Classroom Management Quickies --
Mistakes New Teachers Often Make, So Don't
New teachers often -
Have not figured out what exactly they want and don't want - a root cause of much of what follows.
Overpraise students for doing what is expected.
Don't know the difference between praise and acknowledgement and when each is appropriate.
Fail to do effective long-range and daily planning.
Spend too much time with one student or one group and not monitoring the entire class.
Begin a new activity before gaining the students' attention.
Talk too fast, and are sometimes shrill.
Use a voice level that is always either too loud or too soft.
Stand too long in one place (the feet of clay syndrome).
Sit too long while teaching (the posterior of clay syndrome).
Overemphasize the negative.
Do not require students to raise hands and be acknowledged before responding.
Are way too serious and not much fun.
Are way too much fun and not serious.
Fall into a rut by using the same teaching strategy or combination of strategies day after day.
Ineffectively use silence (wait time) after asking a content question.
Are ineffective when they use facial expressions and body language.
Tend to talk to and interact with only half the class (usually their favorites, and usually on the right)..
Collect and return student papers before assigning students something to do.
Interrupt students while they are on task.
Use "SHHHH" as a means of quieting students (one of the most annoying and ineffective behaviors).
Overuse verbal efforts to stop inappropriate student behavior - talk alone accomplishes little.
Settle for less rather than demand more.
Use threats to control the class (short term, produces results; long term, backfires).
Use global praise inappropriately.
Use color meaninglessly, even to the point of distraction (I know you've seen this happen).
Verbally reprimand students across the classroom (get close and personal if possible).
Interact with only a "chosen few" students rather than spreading interactions around to all students.
Do not intervene quickly enough during inappropriate student behavior.
Do not learn and use student names in an effective way (kids pick up quickly on this and respond in kind).
Read student papers only for correct answers and not for process and student thinking.
Ask global questions that nobody likely will answer.
Fail to do appropriate comprehension checks to see if students understand the content as it is taught.
Use poorly worded, ambiguous questions.
Try to talk over student noise (never, ever, do this, because when you do, you lose and they win).
Are consistently inconsistent.
Will do anything to be liked by students.
Permit students to be inattentive to an educationally useful media presentation (this happens a lot).
Introduce too many topics simultaneously (usually the result of poor planning).
Sound egocentric (if you have to get your jollies from your students, there might be a problem).
Take too much time to give verbal directions for an activity (an inability to focus and explain effectively).
Take too much time for an activity (usually the result of poor planning).
Are nervous, uptight, and anxious (if this is persistent, you need help).
Overuse punishment for classroom misbehavior - going to an extreme when other consequences work better.